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Newman No opposition to Resource Management Bullshit

"ACT MP Muriel Newman's limp wristed private member's bill to 'modify' the Resource Management Act shows there is no real political opposition in parliament," said Libertarianz spokesman Lindsay Perigo on his radio show today.

"Muriel says that Landownwer & Iwi consultation in the RMA needs clarification, that the Act needs modification. I say it needs a shredder," says Perigo.

Muriel writes in part:

"The Act lacks clarity and definition in the area of consultation, not only with landowners but also with Iwi. As local authorities interpreted the Act in drawing up their district plans, dozens of different interpretations of consultation emerged. The best councils talked to each and every landowner affected by proposed designations on their property. The worst used aerial maps, often years out of date, to designate significant natural areas and outstanding landscape areas which in reality turned out be scrub and gorse.

"Such councils, by failing in their duty to adequately consult their ratepayers, forced some into action to protect their private property rights - district plans were thrown out and re-written, mayors and councillors lost their seats, and landowners suffered the cost and stress of extended litigation.

"In 1996 I drafted a Private Members Bill to address the issue - that landowners had to be fully consulted about designations on private property. The bill, the Resource Management (Consultation with Landowners) Amendment Bill 2000, drawn out of the ballot in the name of my colleague Owen Jennings, is due to be debated in Parliament within the next few weeks. It is now clear that the Bill needs to be extended to cover not only consultations with landowners, but with Iwi as well..."

Muriel cites the case of a Whangarei builder halted in the middle of a development because local Iwi suddenly insisted that the site was of cultural significance to them, then says,

" ... councils drafting district plans would help ratepayers if they not only consulted with those whose properties will be affected by designations, but also if they insisted on sites of significance to Maori being identified on district plans so costly surprises of the sort encountered by Whangarei builder and his client would not recur."

If this be Muriel's thinking, her bill is a waste of time. Where is the stake through the heart of the Iwi AND the busybody bureaucrats; where the robust exhortation to these creatures to get stuffed; where the proud proclamation that private property rights are sacrosanct - not subject to arbitrary, unilateral bureaucratic "designations" or tribal superstitions - & that what people do on their own property is their own business? Actually, this bill is worse than a waste of time - it will positively reinforce the fascist features & assumptions of the RMA as it already is.

And this is called "opposition"?!

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Libertarianz Media Coordinator (025) 861 927 organon@ihug.co.nz

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